Kyros' Empire

Kyros' Empire is the largest state on Terratus. Kyros the Overlord is ruler of Terratus, the known world. The Overlord's Empire stretches from the Winter Sea in the east to the shores of the Tiers in the west.

Background
Composed of countless states, ranging from petty chiefdoms and feral tribes to the advanced, iron age Northern Empire, the Empire brings peace through power to its subjects. It is the end result of the Unification of Terratus, a grand campaign spanning centuries that began far on the eastern reaches of the continent. It was a very long, very slow campaign, with the Overlord taking time to fortify and establish the Empire in each new conquered land before moving to the next. And giving the next target time to let down its guard. Although the True Reckoning calendar would indicate it's a campaign that spanned over four centuries, the actual count is likely closer to five or six centuries, to account for Kyros preparing her strength and forces to begin the campaign. After all, the Overlord waited a full century between subjugating Graven Ashe and invading the Tiers.

Organization
Kyros' Empire is based on efficiency and rationality. Conquered populations are either subjugated by force (if they resisted) or allowed to continue to govern themselves after Kyros' reforms are introduced (which includes dismantling hereditary succession systems and other obviously flawed methods of governance).

Notably, in exchange for sovereignty, Kyros extends a generous offer of her Peace to the subjects. Those who pledge life to Kyros are guaranteed freedom from hunger (food is redistributed to provide it to all), domestic disturbance (Overlord's forces quash crime and uprising), and hopelessness or fear (as Kyros' agents plan economic stability, which includes placing teens and adults into crafts, trades, basic non-written education, and access to basic healthcare). By extension, the Overlord remains at war at all who have not yet accepted her Peace.

Archons are the representatives of Kyros, permitted to govern as they see fit as long as they uphold Kyros' law. The Adjudicator's Court bears little resemblance to Iron Hearth, for example, and less to Cacophony. The Overlord codifies this as the Right of Privilege: so long as an Archon remains loyal to the Overlord and upholds the legal code, Kyros grants them significant freedom to rule their dominion as they see fit. As a result, some territories seem wildly different from others. They say that were you to travel the length of Terratus, you'd find yourself in a different empire every span. Only the Overlord's law unites them. In a way, the legal code - and by extension, Tunon's Court of Fatebinders - is the blood coursing through the empire's veins, the order that makes civilization possible.

Beyond the Archons, each dominion has its own idiosyncratic rules of etiquette as well.

The composition of its military varies, depending on the needs of the Empire at any given time. Right now, with the Conquest of the Tiers ongoing, the Archons of War and Secrets have been given leave to aggressively recruit and field massive forces. The Scarlet Chorus is one of the largest gangs of miscreants to have served a single commander in recent history. Archon Ashe's Disfavored boast better weapons and tighter tactics than most other forces in the Overlord's dominion can field. Tunon rules the Northern Empire and while he's at war, his lands are guarded by the Archons of Sorrow and Ruin, as well as the Archons of Frost, unless one of the sisters turned on the others. They are not on a conquest sanction by the Overlord, but they maintain personal armies even in times of relative peace. Beyond that? The Overlord has dozens of Archons, most with their own lands, armies, and magical guilds, encompassing everything from phalanxes of living bronze to nearly-naked archers who herd swarms of spiders into battle (allegedly).

Laws

 * Main: Kyros' law

Notably, women enjoy equal protections under the laws of Overlord Kyros. In the southern lands of the Tiers, women may crew a ship, but only men may own or captain a vessel. While these customs give the oceans to the men, the lands are trusted to the women - men may rent and lease, but only women may own land and bequeath it to their daughters and sisters.

While following a parent's profession is standard, many women choose to pledge service to one of the Overlord's powerful Archons. Those without a viable trade or lands to call their own are often drafted into the armies of the Archons, where it is assumed they will rise to glory or vanish in obscurity in accordance to their worth.